Earthquakes in Haiti, an inquiry from Bob Corbett

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

>From Bob Corbett

I'm currently reading THE CROSS AND THE SWORD	 BY Manuel de Jesus Galvan,
a 19th century Dominican writer.  The novel is situated in the earliest
days of Spanish rule of Hispaniola and the time of Bartolme de las
Casas.

There is talk in the novel, which is laced with footnotes calling 
attention to the historical texts on which this or that is based,
of a very severe earthquake in the early years of the 16th century,
about 1607 or so.

This sent me to my own "list of disasters" which I have been keeping for
some time, but which only begins in 1737 with a hurricane said to
have levelled ST. Louis de Sud.

In my readings I have noted claims of earthquakes in:

1751
1770, June 3, which hit P-a-P and Okay
1832, May 7, the most serious, said to have killed over 10,000,
	destroyed Okap and badly damaged the citadel.
1887, Sept 23, which hit especially the north west, destroying
	a newly built cathedral in Port-a-Paix.
1952, Dec. 27.  Rodman claims it altered the waterfall of Saut de BAril.
1963
1997, Jan., I personally experienced a mild earthquake in Petionville,
	and it was discussed in P-a-P as well, but did no noticeable
	damage.

All this makes me wonder about Haiti and earthquakes.  Can anyone tell
me more about them.  Just how prone is the island to earthquakes and what
is the source?

Anyone know any particular sources of literature on earthquakes on the
island?

Any help would be appreciated.

Bob Corbett